Nightly Highway 101 work in Camarillo may be finished

After nearly five months of preparation and construction, the Springville Drive Interchange project is entering its final stages, Camarillo officials said.

Construction crews were scheduled to finish today, removing temporary wood and steel structures used to set the concrete for the newly completed bridge, said Kevin Connors, Camarillo project manager.

Highway 101 between Las Posas Road and Central Avenue was to be closed from midnight to 5 a.m. nightly, beginning Wednesday and ending this morning, as crews worked to take down the structures.

Crews worked overnight Wednesday and Thursday on southbound Highway 101. Work on the northbound side was set to be completed by 5 a.m. today, Connors said.

Crews still need to install approach slabs between the bridge and the asphalt pavement next week, Connors said. Although the bridge deck is complete, safety barriers still need to be constructed. Work on the safety barriers will begin in November.

Foundations for the signals and road pavement also need to be completed, Connors said.

The project is scheduled to be completed by spring 2012, Connors said.

The new interchange will include two through lanes, two left-turn pockets and bicycle lanes. New on- and off-ramps will merge with Highway 101.

The bridge will connect West Ventura Boulevard to the south and Ponderosa Drive to the north.

Ponderosa will be widened eventually to four lanes from Las Posas Road to the new interchange and Springville.

The city of Camarillo paid for the $2.7 million bridge construction. City officials are working on an agreement with Caltrans, which plans to take over maintenance of the roads and bridge. The city would continue to maintain the landscaping and portions of Springville Drive within city limits, according to Connors.